ROSS Dempster scored twice as Fairfield Villa earned a morale-boosting victory away to Coventry Alvis last weekend.
The Swans were 3-2 victors at Alvis Sports & Social Club, where Scott Smith also found the net, though they did have Matt Jackson sent off.
As a result of the victory, Fairfield have jumped up to ninth in Midland Football League Division Two, level on 20 points with eighth-placed Alvis.
With the sides having played out a 4-3 thriller in their previous meeting in March last year, this time in favour of Coventry, there were high expectations of another entertaining encounter.
And so those sentiments were proved after a blistering start by the visitors.
It took Dempster eight minutes to hit the back of the net, glancing a header past the Alvis custodian following an inch-perfect right-wing cross from Dan Ludlow.
Five minutes later, Smith was on hand to double Villa’s lead. Alfie Bloomer’s corner was partially cleared into the defender’s path and he flashed a stunning strike into the bottom corner.
The Swans defence stood firm as Alvis looked to get back into the gamebut Dempster made it 3-0 when he received from Bloomer’s through-ball to finish with ease on 20 minutes.
An end-to-end game ensued, though the clear-cut openings continued to fall the way of Fairfield.
Bloomer went close to adding the fourth but was denied by a good stop, while right-back Keith Draper’s strike was well blocked.
Alvis gave themselves some hope when Adam Bourn struck in the final minute of the half with a fine solo goal past keeper Elliot Hart.
The goal clearly buoyed the hosts, who emerged with much more purpose after the break and 12 minutes into the second period, Coventry reduced the deficit to one goal after Dan Purvin finished clinically.
The rest of the encounter was played on a knife edge, although Fairfield were denied by an excellent block on the line to keep out Bloomer’s effort.
At the other end, Hart had to stay alert to to keep out a number of attempts, before the Swans were reduced to ten men by a straight red card for Jackson.
Fairfield thought they had a fourth goal when Jake Wicketts jinked past two defenders before cutting inside and finding the back of the net via the post, only for the strike to be disallowed with Dempster ruled to have blocked the keeper’s eyeline.
The Swans will play host to Earlswood Town on Saturday, hoping to build a run of form against the 13th-placed visitors (2.30pm).
BARNT Green Spartak were unable to get the better of title-chasing Knowle at Hampton Road last weekend.
GJ Singh and Neil Martin’s side were defeated 2-0 by the second-placed Robins, following second-half goals from Brandon Hague and substitute George Seeley.
Hague opened the scoring in the 71st minute, slotting home following a long punt upfield by Lewis Cosgrove, and Seeley added the second just five minutes later, as Spartak’s defence finally succumbed to the high-flying hosts.
Barnt Green will take plenty of positives from the encounter though. They pushed their opponents all the way and had two golden opportunities of their own with the score still at 0-0.
The closest attempt came from Reece Mills, who blasted a stunning effort from range beyond Craig Johnson only to be denied by the crossbar, while Benet Parchment forced a low save in a one-on-one.
Spartak drop a place to tenth, ahead of another tough task on Saturday at home to fourth-placed Feckenham (2.30pm).
